Denture Adjustments Can Help With Difficulty Chewing

Dentures are a great solution, but they do require dental adjuments over time. Patients using denture make notice that after a while the fit isn't quite what it used to be. When this happens, it can make it difficult to speak or chew properly. If you notice these changes then it's time to schedule a visit with your dentist to get your dentures fitting properly once again.

Causes of chewing difficulty

Some of the reasons that chewing may become difficult is because of how the dentures fit. This can lead to a variety of issues including:

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Open bite

In some situations, difficultly chewing may be linked to other concerns. Let's talk brielf about those issues.

Periodontitis

• This is the inflammation of the teeth and the surrounding gum tissue. Periodontitis often presents with pain that worsens with chewing.

Xerostomia

• Xerostomia is dry mouth due to reduced saliva secretion from the salivary glands. Insufficient saliva secretion will make it difficult to chew.

Jaw muscle pain

• The jaw muscles are the structures that provide the forces that help in grinding food. Pain in these muscles will lead to inadequate chewing.

Jawbone erosion

• This can occur due to dental issues that cause the jawbone to break down over time. Of course, the jaw plays a critical role in chewing and any erosion will make that more difficult.

Denture adjustments can help

Dentures are prostheses that closely resemble natural teeth. They have a teeth component and a pink gum base that make them look more like your regular teeth. Dental adjustments are maneuvering a dentist employs to make a denture fit better. Anybody wearing dentures should expect adjustments at some point.

Types of dental adjustments

• Relining – in this process, the dentist adds material to the denture’s base for better fitting. Relines can either be soft (temporary) or hard (permanent).
• Soft relines are done using an elastic material that is comfortable on the gum. They can last up to two years. It is cheaper, and the procedure can be done in a day.
• In hard relining, dental putty (polyvinyl siloxane) is used to fill the inner part of the denture. The patient wears the denture and creates a dental impression. After this, the denture is sent to the laboratory for modification. Hard relines can last for as long as five years.
• Rebasing – this is the replacement of a damaged denture base with a new one. The teeth of the older denture are still maintained.

Why denture adjustments?

• Less discomfort
• More satisfactory mealtime experience
• The durability of denture prosthesis
• Saves cost – as compared to buying a brand-new prosthesis
• Reduction in injuries and avenue for superimposed infection